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7 art havens in Paris

Parisian holiday isn’t quite complete without a trek up the Eiffel Tower. But there’s much, much more the city has on offer for travellers with a craving for art and culture.

Notre Dame:There are places where you can hear your own thoughts even in a crowd. A calm descends upon you, and you feel at peace. Notre Dame was one such place. The mass began just as we entered the cathedral and we listened to the beautiful choir, along with hundreds of other tourists. Once outside, we got ourselves a seat right opposite and watched the sun cast the last of its warm evening rays on the cathedral. I clicked this picture right then.

Photograph: Jayeeta Mazumder

Montmartre:We reserved half a day for walking around in one of Paris’ busiest art district. After checking out the Dali museum, we headed to the main area, where we watched artists at work, making portraits, wining, dining and discussing all things art.

Photograph: Jayeeta Mazumder

Moulin Rouge:After walking an hour on the happening street of Quartier Pigalle, we reached this institution. Crowds, dressed to the nines, had just begun stepping out of their limousines and flitting in to queue up for the evening show. Even though the building in the backdrop isn’t that impressive, the red windmill structure is hard to miss. We whiled away our time, people-watching.

Photograph: Jayeeta Mazumder

Sacre Coeur:We spent two hours at Sacre Coeur; it was a sunny day after all. We sat sprawled on the grass, walked up, and took the Funicular to come down. I felt was pure childlike joy! We walked all of Montmartre before settling down at a roadside café with a glass of rose and some ham and cheese thin crust pizza, overlooking the gorgeous architecture.

Photograph: Jayeeta Mazumder

Shakespeare And Company:Being an English Literature student meant drawing up a list of places that had a strong presence of William Shakespeare. And attempting to visit them, of course. I was overwhelmed at the atmosphere it exuded. The first floor has a mix of old, rare and new books, along with a section dedicated to the Bard. The second floor has items such as his typewriter and books on display. I walked out of the shop with a handcrafted cloth bag and memories to cherish for a lifetime.

Photograph: Jayeeta Mazumder

Pere Lachaise Cemetery:This is a maze and, in all probability, you will lose your way more than once. If you are not in a rush, I’d say let go and simply keep walking. You’ll stumble upon some of the world’s most famous tombs here. Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Gertrude Stein, Honoré de Balzac, Marcel Proust—the list is endless. We spent a full day here at this magnificent 110-acre cemetery.